South African President Delivers State of the Nation Address

South African President Thabo Mbeki has used his annual State of the Nation address to promise to improve delivery of services to the nation.

In an address to the South African parliament in Cape Town Friday, the president said the government has not had the resources available to meet all the urgent needs of the people.

He pledged to address the deficiencies through increased investment in economic development and in the nation's infrastructure.

Regarding the nation's AIDS crisis, the president said the government's treatment plan is among the best in the world. Activists in South Africa have criticized the president for not making AIDS a higher priority.

South African opposition leader Tony Leon said the president's speech was impressive in its report on economic progress but disappointing in its survey of the government's failures.